Vibration recorder



May 6 1924.

1,493,067 H. R. coon.

VIBRATION RECORDER Filed April 6, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .[22 Hamil -Q wnfl. mrw A/z i May 6, 1924. 1,493,067

H. R. COOL VIBRATION IiEcoRDER Filed April 6, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,493,067 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. COO L. OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNO'B TO THE SERVICE RE-CORDEB COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

vmaa'rron nnconnm Application filed April 8, 1811!. Serial No. 287,009.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY R. Coon, citizen ofthe United States, residing at Cleveland Heights, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Vibration Recorders, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to vibration recorders, such as are used forrecording the movements of motor vehicles, or any mechanism,

such as a machine, where vibration is produced and a record can be madethereof.

The object of the invention is to generally simplify and "improve themechanism and rovide a recorder of this kind which can made at low cost;in which the record is produced by simple movements of a minimum numberof parts; in which the record is easily removed, replaced or adjusted;in which the clock mechanism is, protected against dust and dirt and isrequired to be replaced in the case in the most efficient position afterremoval therefrom; and which mechanism 1s compact, accurate and notliable to get out of order in service.

' Further objects of the invention are in art obvious and in part willappear more 1n detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, which represent one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1is a sectional elevation on the line 1-1, Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a frontelevation; Fig. 3 is a front view, showing the front portion of the casedropped down to expose the inner parts; and Fig. 4 is a detail crosssection on the line 4-4, Fig. 3.

' '-recorderso that the cover can be dropped The recorder shown in thedrawings comrises an outer-casing or body preferabl ormed of two-partsmovably secured to eac other to enable the operator to have accessto-the inner working parts. As shown the casing comprises a rear bodyportion 1 arranged for attachment to a support, such as by beingprovided with apertures2 through which screws can be passed into thesupport. 3 represents the second half of the casing, which is movablyconnected to the body in any suitable manner and is shown in the form ofa cover connected to the body by a hinge ilocated at the bottom of thedown to the position shown in Fig. 3, t ereby exposing the innermechanism. The body and' cover, generally speaking are of from. the pin7, thereby enabling circular form, and the two parts together arepreferably provided with means for sealing the inner chamber against theentrance of dust, dirt or the like. For this pur ose one of the casinmembers, such as the asev 1 is provided wit an annularchannel or seat toreceive a tubular gasket 5, which is compressed by an adjacent portionof the cover when the latter is closed on the Suitable means-ma also berovided for locking the mechanism close For :this purpose the body isprovided with an ear 6 carrying a pin 7 WhlCh extends throughan openingin a com anion ear 8 on the cover. Pin 7 is provide in its side with aslot 9 to receive a ton e 10 on a latch 11 pivoted on a pin 12 carriedby the cover. Said latch has a perforated ear 13 to oo-operatewith aperforated ear 14 integral or secured to the cover member. When thecover is closed on the body the latch can be turned to the osition shownin full lines in Fig. 2, therey causing the tongue 10 to enter the slot9. By passing the hasp of a lock 15 throu h the ears 13 and 14 the covercan therefore locked closed upon thebodyto prevent unauthorized personsfrom opening the recorder, but removal of the lock, enables the latch tobe turned to the osition shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, t0 rellevethetongue 10 the recorder to be opened. In this position said latch engagesa shoulder 11 which limits its movement The cover and body together formsupporting means for the recordin mechanism, all of which is containedwithin a chamber 16'within the casing. As illustrated the recordingmember is a pendular body 17 having a weighted lower end 18 and beingloosely pivoted upon a pin 19 carried by the casing body. Said body isprovided with a central hollow inner hub 20 preferably surrounded by arubber washer 21, which lies within an elongated opening 22 of thependular body and serves as a cushion or bum r to absorb the blows ofthe vibratin pen ulum and decrease the noise. 23 in 'cates a pointerinscribed upon or attached to the ndulum and co-operating with anindicatmg projection or mark 24 upon the case body. This pointer andindicator mark are utihzed in installing the device, which should beattached to its support in a truly vertical position when the support isat rest, said position being indicated by regis try of the pointer andits co-operating mark. This arrangement produces equal vibrations of thependulum toward opposite sides of I the casing.

The cover serves as a support for the record and its operatingmechanism. 25 represents the casing of a suitable clock mechanismprovided witfia spindle 26. The particular type or construction of thisclock mechanism is not essential, it being understood merely that itisso arranged as to turn the spindle 26 uniformly through one completerevolution in a definite period, say twelve, or twenty-four hours. Saidclock mechanism, however, preferably has a cylindrical casing 27 pressedinto a cup shaped cover 28 whose outer flange is perforated to receivescrews 29 threaded into lugs on the recorder. casin member 3. Said cover28 is also provide with one or several pins 30 adapted to enter openingsin the end wall 27 of the clock casing so as to definitely locate theparts of the clock mechanism relative to its cover, the knob formed onthe outside of the cup shaped cover aids in opening the same forinspection of therecord. As the cover may be provided with an indicationat A which is its top it is therefore possible'to install the clock withcertainty m its most elficient position. Between the bottom of the clockmechanism and the cover 3 is a layer B of feltor other cushioningmaterial. This cushion co-operates with the more or less flexibleflangeportion of cover 28 to yieldingly suspend the clock mechanism inthe outer casin so that it is cushioned againstshocks or lows.

The outer end of spindle 26 is threaded to receive a cylindrical member31 to which is suitably secured a plate 32 forming a support for thecentral portion of the paper record 33, and whose periphery may beserrated, as at 32', so that it can be readily turned backward to windup the. clock mechanism. Member 31 has an annular recess 34,communicating with which is a slot 35, said slot and recess co-operatingwith a pin 36 on a thimble 37 carrying a fourarmed yielding clampingplate 38. This construction is of the character of a bayonet joint, andby pushing the thimble 37 over the sleeve 31 and turning the same tothe.

position shown in Fig. 1 and. Fig. 3 the paper record is clamped bymember 38 against plate 32'and is consequently held and turned uniformlyby the clock mechanism. When the casing is closed, as in Fig.

1, the thimble 37 enters an opening in hub 20, this construction makingthe recorder 7 more compact than heretofore.

39 representsa marking device, which is carried by the dpendular body 17and is located at one si e of a vertical line through the pivot 19, as aconsequence of which oscillatmg movement of the pendular body producespractically radial movement of the small bent metal member 42 adjustablysecured for slight turning movement by a screw 43 and having one endportion bent up and over the spring 40 to form an indicating pointer 44.This pointer indicates that. portion of the spring which lies directlyopposite the marking device 39 when the casing is closedand thereforeenables the' chart or record to be properly installed or set in place.The record sheet is free from engagement except at its central portionwhere it is engaged by the clock mechanism and at the point where it isengaged by the backing member and the stylus.

Spring 40 exerts. a constant tendency to press the record 33 toward themarking device 39 and therefore serves as a backing for the markingoperation. The record may be of ordinary paper in which case the markindevice 39 is a pencil or pen, but prefera ly the record is made ofpaperof peculiar .eomposition, having a body portion of one color, saydark blue or the like, overwhich is applied a thin layer of lightercolored material, say grey or white, capable of being easily rubbed offby the marking at rest, even while loading or unloading the vehiclelittle if any lateral vibration is pro-. duced, so that the uniformclock movement turns the record paper past the marking device andproduces upon the record a narever, when the vehicleis traveling lateralvibrations or swings are unavoidably produced,"as a consequence of whichthe pendulum 17 swings from side to side and causes short radialmovement of'the marking de vice 39 relative to the center of the record,thereby producing upon the record a cup -or a series 46 of closelyadjacent ra ially extending waves or lines. These groups of row line 45in the arc of a-circle. -Howbrations of the mechanism for waves indicatethe periods and times of travel of the vehicle, while the arcuate curves-or lines 44 indicate the periods of rest; When applying the deviceto-other forms of mechanism than a motor vehicle it is applied to themechanism in any suit able position to take advantage of the viproducingmotion of the pendulum.

The construction described is simple,

formsperfect protection for the clock mechanism, is proof againsttampering by unauthorized persons and produces a complete record of thetravelof a vehicle durm a given period. %Vhat I claim is:

1. A vibration recorder, comprising a cas-' ing, a vibrating membersupported in said casing for movement in a single plane, a

stylus rigidly secured to said vibrating member and thereb held againstmovement except in a sing e plane, a record member, means for producinrelative traveling mo- 1 tion between the sty us and record member,

and means on one side of the record member for establishing andmaintaining proper recording en agement of the stylus. with the oppositesi eof the record member. v

2. A vibration recorder, comprisin a casing, a vibrating membersupported in said casing for movement in a single plane, a

stylus rigidly secured to said vibrating mem her and thereby heldagainst movement except in a single plane, a record member, means forproducin relative traveling motion between the sty us and record member,

and a pressure member engagin one side of the record member forestabdishing and maintaining pro r recording enga ement of the styluswith t e opposite side of t e record member.

3. A vibrationrecorder, comprising a casing, a vibrating membersupported 1n said.

casing for movement in a slngle plane, a stylus rigidly secured to saidvibrating member and threb held against movement ex-.

the record member.

4.',/A vibration recorder, comprising main casing, record actuatingmeans carried by the main casing, a recordsheetcarried" and operated bysaid means, a resilient backing member carried by the casing and.en-"

"ed in saidgeover for movement in a single plane a stylus enga 'ng the oposite side of the record sheet, sai stylus be ing rigidly securedtosaid vibrating member and thereby opposite side of the record ingmovement only held against movement except in the single plane ofmovement of the vibratin member,

dulum and thereby held against movement except-in a single plane, arecord member, means for producin relative traveling motion between thestyqus and record member, and means on one side of the record member forestablishing and maintaining proper recording en agement of the styluswith the opposite side of the record member.

6. A vibration recorder, comprising a main casing, recordactuating'means carried by the mam casing, a record sheet carried andoperated by said means, a resilient backing member carried by ,thecasing and engaging one side of the record sheet, a cover 'for saidcasing, a vibrating pendulum su ported in said cover for movement in asing e plane, a stylus engaging the opposite side of the. record sheet,said stylus being rigidly secured'to said vibrating pendulum and therebyheld against movement except. in the single plane of movement "of thevibrating pendulum, and means for holding said cover in place.

I 7 A vibration recorder, comprisin a casing, record operating meanscarried y said casing, a record s eet operated by said means, aresilient backing means carried by the casing and engaging one side ofthe record sheet, and a vibrating stylus supported in said casing forengagement withthe at a point opposite said backing.

8. A vibration recorder, comprising a casing, a vibrating stylussupported in said casin a record member, means for producing re ativetravelin motion between the stylus and recorder, an apressuremembermovable toward and from the stylus and enga 'n the op siteside of the record for establishing an maintainin proper recordin mentof the sty us with the reco 9. A vibration recorder, comprising acasing, a vibrating stylus supported in said casing, a record member,means for producing relative traveling motion between the stylus and therecorder, and a pressure member engaginsg1 the opposite,side ofthe'record for est'ali ing and maintaining proper recording engagementof the stylus with the record, sald pressure member have in a directiontowards and away from said record member,

10. A vibration recorder, comprising a "casing, a vibrating stylussupported in said .casing, a record member, means for produc' ingrelative travelin motion between the stylus and the recor and a pressuremember mbvable toward and from. the stylus engageiao ' and engaging theopposite side of the record v for establishing and maintaining properrecasing, a record operating means inclosed in the casing, a recordsheet having only its central-portion engaged by said operating meansfor operation thereby, a resilient backing means carried by said casingand engaging one side of said record sheet, a vibrating stylus supportedin said casing for engagement with the opposite side of said record at apoint-opposite said stylus; said record sheet being free from engagementexcept where engaged by said, operating means and by said resilientbacking'means.

12. In a vibration recorder, a record carrying member, the centralportion of said member beingformed with a well, a clock mechanism seatedwithin said well, shock absorbingmeans between said clock mechanism andthe bottom of said well, avflexible cbver securing said clock mechanismin said well, and means for attaching a record sheet a to said clockmechanism for operatlon thereing provided with an inner projection, a

1. pendulum therein having an opening freely s'urrounding'saidprojection, the dimension of said opening in the direction "of motion ofi3. A vibration recorder, including a cas -casing including tworelatively movable members, a pendulum suspended on one member andcarrying a marking device, a clock mechanism carried by the othermemher, a record support operated thereby, a yielding backing member forthe record,

and means for indicating when the cover is open that portion of thebacking-member which lies opposite the marking device when the cover isclosed.

15. A. vibration recorder, comprising a casing having a hollow innerprojection, a pendulum in said casing having an opening to' receive saidprojection, clock mechanism including a rotatable spindle, and means forsecuring a record thereto, said means including a thimble connected tosaid spindle and adapted to enter the. opening in said projection;

. 16. A 'vibration recorder, comprising a casing including two members,one'of said members supporting clock mechanism includjng a spmdle,record supporting means fcarrled b said spindle, amarking pendulumcarried by thevother of said members,

and co-operating indicating means on said pendulum and casing,

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature."

HENRY R. COOL.

